Coughing?

[GinnyJ]

Hello,
My Sophie (4yo) has a grade 2-3 murmur and my Sadie(4yo) has Mitral Valve Prolapse. We just found out last month. There is no enlargement.
At this time, they don't want to 'do' anything.
We'll go back in every 6-12 months for recheck.
My question: The doctor asked if they were coughing. I said no. Well,
now every little sound they make, I take notice.
Can someone describe what the 'cough' sounds like? Is it more like a gag?
Is it like when they eat their food too fast?
Do dogs with MVD cough over and over and over again? - like a human when they have a cold or flu?
I've searched they web ( and youtube trying to get a video).
Thank You!

[Barbara Nixon]

Monty is just beginning the heart cough, I believe and is hopefully going to the vets on Thursday (I like to see a particular one who only does this day).

Izzy's (he had mvd) cough started just like this and as he had been in contact with kc, I assumed it was this for a while, as he did the kc type gag. I wasn't sure of Monty's , at first, as he licks his coat and rude bits , first thing, and having a very long coat, has always managed to swallow a little hair , now and then.

However, now he coughs every morning. Just one cough .Most times just the gag, but sometimes preceded by a soun dlike breath being drawn in , over the chest. He sometimes coughs on first rising and sometimes he will get up, go out for his 5am wee and then cough between then and my getting up.

In the beginning, most dogs with heart coughs do so in a morning and at night, but eventually the coughing occurs during the day and in some cases (not until very late on in Izzy's case ) after a little exertion or while eating or drinking.

Some cough because of fluid buildup, but a few vets told me that this wan't the case for Izzy, as he had very little fluid on his chest, until his last 4 months.

From being diagnosed with an extreme murmur (ie when he was coughing-we'd know about the lesser murmur for a couple of years ), he managed over two years on medication.

[Theresa]

You would expect the cough in the morning as Barbara said. It is supposed to appear first after exercise (ie after running). I was like this with Missy when her murmur was first diagnosed. It is very upsetting. Try to relax - you will know it when you hear it (or at least that's what works for me now!!) Good luck

[GinnyJ]

I dont think they are coughing....
Does anyone have a short video of this type of cough?

[Barbara Nixon]

Someone , on another forum , found one on the net, but it wasn't very realistic, from my experience.

Izzy's cough, even near the end, was not after exercise (unless he went really mad and ran about) but was after rest ( lying down ). The vet said his cough (as he had no fluid buildup) was due to the heart 'kick-starting' from resting mode.

Perhaps a description of a 'full blown ' cough would be throat clearing (like an old miner would) , followed by a gag. it's the former that differenciates ift from kc and the fact that kc or sore throat coughs can be induced by touching the throat.

[luvzcavs]

I really feel for you, I went and go through this myself.
One of my boys has a very similar case to yours and I was exactly the same as you. Mine love to eat bugs, grass and all things grot in the garden and consequently occasionally have the odd cough or a cough followed by a cough, in the beginning I would rush into the vet only to find all was well and I was bonkers/paranoid .

I think you will know the difference, I would say when it is persistent or routine like is when you need to consult the vet again (although I do find a lot of strength in the cleche better safe than sorry !)

Even last night I had the dogs on the bed and was cuddling Harry telling him how wonderful he is and how much I adore him, I then drifted in and out of a fitful sleep and woke up worrying as Harry had been coughing but now I'm not sure if he was or if I was dreaming (nightmare-ing) as this is something I dread the start of the cough .

Good luck with it all